1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to fasteners having a portion which is driven into a base member and relates particularly to a fastener having a hardened substantially non-bendable penetrating portion which can be driven a predetermined distance into a relatively dense base member by a driving member and which forms a mechanical lock with such base member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past many fasteners including nails, screws, rivets, and the like have been provided in which the nails and wood screws normally were provided for use with a relatively soft base material such as wood, press board, plaster and the like, while machine screws and rivets have been provided for attachment to relatively dense hard base members such as steel and other metallic structures. Ordinarily when attaching a fastener to a relatively hard base such as metal, a hole is drilled and tapped for receiving the threads of a machine screw or other similar fastener or a hole is drilled entirely through the base material for receiving a rivet having a head at one end and the opposite end of the rivet is peened over after the rivet has been inserted within the hole.
Some efforts have been made to provide a fastener which could be driven into a hard metallic base member; however, it has been necessary in most cases to drive the fastener at a high velocity by means of an explosive charge or the like in order to cause the penetrating portion thereof to become embedded within the metallic structure. Not only have these fasteners been difficult to use, they have also been dangerous since a premature actuation of the explosive charge could cause serious injury to any one in the vicinity. A few fasteners have been provided with a penetrating point which could be driven into a metallic base, however, these fasteners usually require that a hole be formed in the metallic base through which the nail is driven.
Some examples of the prior art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,907,495 to Bronski; 2,954,717 to Henning et al; 3,555,957 to Hermle; as well as British Patent 732,203; French Patent 1,099,241; and German Patent 960,851.